Seriously. How many times have you decided not to watch a movie in the theater because you downloaded it? None? Me neither. Most people have neither the time, the knowledge nor the equipment to download movies. And there is no evidence that those who do have stopped going to the theater as a consequence of viewing a downloaded movie. Quite the contrary… but I digress…

For most of us, there are other reasons – good ones – that the theaters are conveniently disregarding.

Instead of competing in the marketplace like everyone else, the MPAA (the movie industry’s mouthpiece) is lobbying like mad to pass laws to guarantee their profits. If you make a movie available for download before it has been released you can go to jail for five years. They seem to think, like their counterparts in the music business, that it is ok to treat your customer like criminals.

“1 wife, 3 kids, and you – $34.50 on check card1 popcorn 1 large coke and 3 small kids packs – $27.50 on check cardGoing back for 2 hot dogs and another drink to replace the one your kid spilled – $20.00 on check cardWaiting a month to see the movie at home on DVD for $3.50 – PRICELESS”